Popcorn machine



April 20, 1943. w sc fi 2,316,989

POPCORN MACHINE Filed Oct. 17, 1941 I 7 Sheets-Sheet l 2 I A? I 15 3+1NVENTOR. Em hfd'carr Z BY Ap 20, 1943. R. w. SCOTT I 2,316,989

POPCORN MACHINE Filed Oct. 17, 1941 '7 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. E: Y W Scorr ATTORNEY.

April 20, 1943. w SCOTT 2,316,989

POPGORN MACHINE Filed Oct. 17, 1941 7 Sheets-Sheet s 5 +11 26 INVENTOR.

Ear hAS'caTr April 20, 1943. R. w. SCOTT POPCORN MACHINE Filed Oct. 17, 1941 '7 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR. BY .Enr hlScorr April 1943 R. w. sco'r'r 2,316,989

POPCORN MACHINE Filed on. 17. 1941 v Sheets-Sheet e W .402 for h! Scorr 22 BY 114,1 Z E [y April 20, 1943. R. w. SCOTT POPCORN MACHINE Filed Oct. 17, 1941 7 SheetsSheet 7 i J .............an.............,........

BYWM I Patented Apr. 20, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE" 2,316,989 I rorconN' momma Ray W. Scott, Detroit, Mich.

Application October 17, 1941, Serial No. 415,343

11 Claims.

This invention relates to vending machines.

Broadly, the invention comprehends a vending machine wherein several instrumentalities having correlated functions are assembled in a suitable case and are so correlated that upon deposit of a coin in the machine the several component parts of the assembly are automatically operated to raise the temperature of a griddle, to deliver a predetermined quantity of corn to the griddle, to agitate the corn during a popping process, to discharge the corn from the griddle to an easily accessible dumping receptacle, to season the popped corn as it passes from the griddle to the receptacle, and to eject a bag for receiving the popped corn from the dumping receptacle.

An object of the invention is to provide an automatically-operative corn popping machine.

Another object of the invention is to provide a machine for vending 'popcom wherein a coin deposited in the machine controls the popping of a predetermined quantity of corn.

Another object of the invention is to provide a corn popping machine automatically set in motion upon deposit of a coin in the machine to increase the temperature of a griddle, to deposit corn on the griddle, to time the popping of the corn, to deliver the popped corn to a readily accessible receptacle, and concomitantly to eject a bag for receiving the popped corn.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the subjoined description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a vending machine embodying the invention;

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view substantially on line 2-'-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is another vertical sectional view substantially on line 3-3 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary view illustrating the driving mechanism;

Figure 5 is a detailed view of the griddle shaft and the collar for coupling the shaft to the lowand high-speed gear train;

Figure 6 is an enlarged detailed view, with parts broken away, illustrating the timing gear in starting position;

Figure 7 is a top ..plan view of the griddle elevator, illustrating the elevator in raised position;

Figure 8 is a similar view illustrating the griddle elevator in position to start the lowering of the griddle;

Figure 9 is a similar view illustrating the position of the elevator when the griddle is lowered; Figure 10 is a. fragmentary view, mostly in elevation, illustrating the timing gear and associated parts; V.

Figure 11 is a fragmentary view, partly in elevation and partly in section, illustrating the conveyer; a

Figure 12 is also a fragmentary view, partly in elevation and partly in section, illustrating the.

conveyer in dumping position;

Figure 13 is a sectional view illustrating the conveyer, the sprockets therefor, and associated chute;

Figure 14 is a sectional view, substantially on line I4-l4 of Figure l, illustratingthe popcorn deliverymechanism;

Figure 15 is a fragmentary view illustrating the motor for energizing the apparatus and the make-and-break for the governor circuit;

Figure 16 is a detailed view, in section, illustrating the governor;

Figure 1'7 is a sectional view of the circuit control drum, substantially on line ll-ll of Figure 4;

Figure 18 is a sectional view of the circuit control4drum, substantially on line l8-l8 of Figure i Figure 19 is a sectional view of the circuit control drum, substantially on line l9-l9 of Figure 4; and

Figure 20 is a diagram of the wiring system.

In this invention, several units are assembled and correlated for automatically popping and subsequently seasoning a predetermined quantity of corn, delivering the finished product to a readily accessible receptacle, and concomitantly ejecting a bag for receiving the popped corn from the receptacle. For specific details of the several units, reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings.

Case

An ornamental case l0 includes a base I2, a metallic body l4 suitably mounted on the base, a removable front panel l6 providing access to various parts of the apparatus, a removable transparent panel l8 providing visual indication of the operation of the apparatus and, a removable top 20 providing access to certain other parts of the apparatus. The base is preferablyheavy so as to lend stability to the structure and is ornamented to harmonize with other parts of the case.

Storage compartment The back of the body I4 has thereon an inner wall 22, Figures 2 and 3, providing a storage compartment 24 for popcorn, opening into a hopper 26, Figures 3 and 11, as by a slot 28 controlled by a slide gate 38 so as to regulate feeding of the popcorn to the hopper; and suitably arranged in the back of the case I8, adjacent its top, is a filling opening for the storage compartment, normally closed as by a door 32 having on its back a chute 34 movable into position as the door is opened to serve as a convenience in filling the storage compartment; and an inclined false bottom 36 in the storage compartment is pivoted at one end as by a pintle 38, Figure 2, adjacent the discharge slot 28.

The free end of the false bottom is supported by a lever 48 on a stub shaft 42 mounted in the wall 22, and the shaft has secured thereto an arm 44 connected by a spring 48 to a fixed support 46 on the wall 22. This structure serves to yieldingly support the false bottom and the contents of the storage compartment so that when the compartment is empty the arm 44 will have moved through a predetermined angle, the object of which will hereinafter appear.

The driving mechanism A basin 58, Figure 4, suitably supported in the case I8, has an annular trough 52 in the bottom thereof and a discharge opening 54, Figure 6, for the trough. A plate 56 is secured to the bottom of the basin and a frame 58 is suspended from the plate. A motor A suitably mounted on the frame has keyed or otherwise secured to its armature shaft a worm gear 68 in mesh with a worm wheel 62 secured to a vertically disposed shaft 64 journaled in suitable bearings 66, supported on the plate 56, and 68, supported on a bracket I8 secured to the frame.

The shaft 64 has mounted thereon for free rotation a large gear I2 in mesh with a relatively small gear I4 sleeved on a shaft 16 reciprocable vertically in suitable bearings I8 and 88 supported on the plate 56 and on the frame 58, and a spanner 82 secured to the frame serves to retain the gear 14 constantly in mesh with the gear I2.

The shaft 64 also has secured thereto a small gear 84 in mesh with an idler 66 supported on a stub shaft 88 journaled in a bearing 98 on the plate 56. The idler meshes with a small gear 92 sleeved on the reciprocable shaft I6 and held in mesh with the idler by a spanner 94 secured to the plate 56. A collar 96, slidably keyed on the shaft 64 between'the gears I2 and 84, is adapted to interlock with the gear I2 so as to couple the gear 12 to theshaft 64, and, correspondingly, a collar 88, slidably keyed to the reciprocable shaft 16 between the gear I4 and the gear 92, is adapted to interlock alternately with the gear 14 and the gear 82 so as to alternately couple the gears I4 and 92 to the reciprocable shaft 16. A yoke I 88 pivoted at IN on the frame 58 interconnects the collars 96 and 98 so that upon elevation of the reciprocable shaft 16 thecollar 98 interlocks with the gear 92 to couple the gear 92 to the reciprocable shaft I6. ll'his results in driving the shaft 16 in one direction through the low-speed train of gears 84, 86, and 82, and when the reciprocable shaft I6 is lowered, the collar 98 follows the downward movement of the shaft 16 and releases the gear 92 so as to uncouple the low-speed train and the collar 98 moves the yoke I88 and the collar 96 to interlock the collar 96 with the gear I2, coupling the gear 12 to the shaft 64. This results in driving the shaft 16 in the opposite direction through the gears I2 and I4, constituting the high-speed train of gears. Inasmuch as the collar 98 has a limited up and down movement, which is much less than the up and down movement of the shaft I6. means are provided in the form of a key I83 positioned in a long keyway I in the shaft I6, the key I83 having an extension II" at its lower end, which engages the under side of the collar 88 to lift this collar when the key is engaged by the lower end of the keyway I85. When the shaft I6 moves downwardly, the key I83 engages the top of an eccentric 218, stopping the movement of the key at this point by permitting the shaft I6 to continue its downward movement through the bore of the collar 88. The keyway in the collar 98, as shown in Figure 5, is of much greater width than the key so that the collar has play about the shaft I6, the purpose of which is to permit the easy engagement of the clutch pins ineither direction of rotation.

The shaft 64 has secured thereto a pinion I82 in mesh with a pinion wheel I84 keyed or otherwise secured to a shaft I86 journaled in a suitable bearing I88 supported on the frame 58 and on the bracket "I8, and a rotatable dog II8 suitably mounted on the pinion wheel I84 has a trip lever I I2. A stub shaft I I4, Figures 4, 7, 8 and 9, iournaled axially in the shaft I86 has mounted thereon for free rotation a crank disc I I6 having thereon diametrically-disposed fixed dogs H8 and I28 for cooperation with the rotatable dog II8 carried on the pinion wheel I84, and a spring latch I22 for holding the crank disc against retrograde movement is provided. The crank disc also has mounted eccentrically thereon a crank pin I24, and a connecting rod I26 connects the crank pin to a bushing I28 receiving the reciprocable shaft I6 so that upon rotation of the crank disc I I6 the reciprocable shaft 16 is alternately elevated and lowered.

The corn popping mechanism The bushing I28, Figure 4, supporting the reciprocable shaft I6 has a concentric sleeve I38, and fitted on this sleeve in abutting relation to the bushing I28 is a disc I32 supporting a ring I34 having a beveled edge I36 and an annular shoulder I38. The ring I34 supports a griddle I48 in spaced relation to the disc I32 so as to provide a housing I42 for the reception of a constant heat element B and a booster G for the constant heat element. A beater I44 suitably secured to the reciprocable shaft for rotation therewith is adapted to wipe over the face of the griddle. Preferably, the beater includes a hub I46 having a plurality of radially extended arms I48 bearing flat against the face of the griddle. Y I

A ring I58, suspended in an opening I52 arranged concentrically in the top of the basin 58, has an annular shoulder I54 for the reception of the griddle I48 when the griddle is in elevated position, and a screened receptable I56 supported on the ring I58 has a plain top I58. This screen provides for a vision of the corn popping process. When the griddle is lowered, the annular shoulder I38 on the ring I34 supporting-the griddle telescopes a sleeve I68, as shown in fragmentary dotted section in Figure 4. The sleeve I68 is secured to a ring gear I62 in mesh with the gear 84 of the low-speed train, and suitably secured to the sleeve I68 is a plurality of blades I64 for sweeping out the trough 52 in the basin Timing mechanism A bracket I88, shown in dotted lines in Figure 4, is secured to the back wall of the frame 88 and supports a fixed shaft I88, and a timing gear I supported for free rotation on the shaft I88 meshes with a small gear I12 on the shaft I08. The timing gear has thereon cams I14 and I18 for actuation of a spring-pressed plunger I18 cooperating with a fixed pin I80 for tripping and.

subsequently restoring the lever 2 to actuate the dog H0. The timing gear also has secured thereon an eccentrically disposed circular disc I82, Figures 6 and 10. A collar I84 fitted on this disc has secured thereto a rod I88 detachably connected to a bag delivery apparatus, shown at the lower left-hand part of Figure 3.

A circuit control drum, indicated generally at F, includes three segments: a, b, and c. The segments a and b are fixedly secured to one another and to the timing gear I10 for rotation therewith, and the segment b is adjustably connected to the segment c, preferably by telescoping parts frictionally held together, so as to afford adjustment means for breaking the circuit at any point in the cycle. A bracket I90 suspended from the shaft I88 has mounted thereon brushes d, e, j, a, and h, Figures 17, 18, and 19, cooperating with the segments 0, b, and c of the circuit control drum.

Feed mechanism A coupler I92, Figure 4, is adapted to connect the shaft I08 to a chain driving sprocket I94 supported for rotation on a suitable bearing I98 on a bracket I98 secured to the wall 22, Figure 3. The coupler includes a shaft 200 having one of its ends fitted to the shaft I08 so that the shaft 200 may be driven therefrom and having its other end journaled in the bearing I98 for the sprocket I94. The shaft 200 has thereon a collar 202 and a reciprocable sleeve 204 held against rotation by a pin 208. The sleeve is normally held against the collar 202 by a coil spring 208 surrounding the shaft 200 between the pin and the sleeve, and a lug 2I0 on the sleeve cooperates witha stop 2I2 on the sprocket I94 so as to rotate the sprocket. The wedge I88, Figures 4, 6 and 10, having a beveled edge I81 is adapted to be forced between the collar 202 and the end of the coupler I92 when the shaft I88 has rotated to the proper position. This forces the coupler I92 to the right, Figure 4, so that the lug 2I0 contacts the stop 2I2, causing the sprocket I84 to rotate with the shaft 200.

A shaft 2, Figures 3 and 11, supported for rotation transversely of the hopper 28, has keyed thereon spaced corresponding sprockets 2I8 and 2I8 and also a sprocket 220 connected by a chain belt 222 to the sprocket I84. A bracket 224 ad- Justably secured to the wall 22, top of Figures 2 and 3, supports a stub shaft 228 having thereon spaced corresponding sprockets 228 and 230, Figure 12, and journaled on the bracket I98 are spaced corresponding idlers 232, Figure 4, and 234, Figure 3. A chain belt 238, Figures 11 and 12, connects the sprocket M8 to the idler 232, Figure 4, and to the sprocket 228, Figure 12, and, correspondingly, a chain belt 238 connects the sprocket 2I8, the idler 234 and the sprocket 230. A bucket 240, Figures 3 and 11, is pivotally mounted on the chain belts 238 and 288 to swing between the belts, and arranged in the path of the bucket is a lever 242, Figure 3, connected to the coin control mechanism.

The discs of sprockets 228 and 230, Figure 12, are connected by an inclined arcuate plate proa reception end supported for direct communication with the chute 244 through the opening 248 and a discharge end opening into the screened receptacle I88, and the discharge end is normally closed as by a balanced door 280, Figure 4, to provide against the possibility of return of corn to the trough during the popping process.

Lubricating system The lubricating system is simplified to the maximum. As shown, a bracket 282, Figure 4, suitably secured to the frame 88, supports a pump 284 below the reciprocable shaft 18 and in axial align-' 'ment with the shaft. The pump includes a chamber 288, which is open at one end for the reception of the reciprocable shaft so that the shaft may function as a driving rod and is closed at its other end as by a head 288 having a concentric recess 280 provided with a discharge port 282 having connected thereto a fluid delivery pipe 284 leading to certain parts of the driving mechanism.

A coil spring 288 seated in the recess 280 egtends slightly into the cylinder-,- and a piston 288 reciprocable in the chamber 288 has a concentric opening 210 through its head providing a communication between the chamber'and the recess. When the chamber 288 is filled with suitable lubricant upon descent of the reciprocable shaft 18, the port 210 is closed and the piston is advanced on its compression stroke against the resistance of the coil spring 288. This results in ejecting a very small quantity of lubricant from the chamber, through the recess 280, the discharge port 282 and the fluid delivery line 284, to the driving mechanism, and as the shaft 18 ascends, the piston 288 is released and returned to its normal retracted position under the influence of the coil spring 288, and as the piston returns to its retracted position, lubricant is bypassed through the port 210 to that portion of the cylinder forward of the piston so as to load the chamber for subsequent operation. Such lubricant as would otherwise collect in the pan formed by the bottom of the frame 88 is drained back into the chamber 258 through a port 2" through the bottom of the pan to be recirculated by the action of the lubricating pump mechanism.

Seasoning mechanism the case. A fluid delivery line 214 has an opening 218 near the bottom of the reservoir and a second opening 211 about midway between the top and the bottom of the reservoir. The reservoir contains salt water and an oil, and since the salt water is heavier, it remains accessible to the lower opening 218, while the oil remains accessible to opening 211. The openings 218 and 211 are sized to give the desired proportions of salt water and oil, which are together delivered through the delivery line 214 to the inlet port of a reciprocable pump 218 in the cylinder of which the salt water and the oil are thoroughly mixed.

The pump is driven from the eccentric 218, Figure 4, mounted on the gear 14 of the highspeed train, the eccentric being connected as by a driving rod 280 to the wrist pin 282 of the pump, Figure 3. The discharge port of the pump is connected by a fluid delivery line 284 to an oscillatory nozzle 286 through a suitable joint 288. The nozzle discharges the salt water and oil mixture immediately above and into the conduit 3l0, Fig. 3, at a position just above the discharge opening 54 and outside of the basin 50, and is oscillated through linkage connecting the nozzle to the pump. As shown, a rockable shaft 290 has on one end a crank 292 connected by a driving rod 294 tothe wrist pin 282 of the pump 216, and on the other end of the shaft 280 is a crank 296 connected by a link 288 to a swinging arm 300 embracing the nozzle. As the pump 216 is driven from the eccentric 218 on the gear I4 of the high-speed train, fluid is drawn from the reservoir 212 through the fluid delivery line 214 into the pump and discharged therefrom through the fluid delivery line 284, the joint 288, and the nozzle 285, and during this period the nozzle is oscillated through the linkage connecting the nozzle to the wrist pin 282 of the pump. Since the gear 14 and the eccentric 218 are rotated only during the high-speed rotation of the shaft I6, it follows that the seasoning is pumped only during this high-speed rotation of the shaft 16 and, therefore, only during the delivery of popped corn from the basin 50 into a conduit 310.

Delivery mechanism The popcorn delivery mechanism indicated generally at 302, Figure 1, includes a housing 304, Figure 14, supported on the back of the removable front panel I6 of the case. A removable receptacle 306 is fitted in the bottom of the housing for the reception of waste, and a hopper 308 is pivotally supported in the top of the housing with its reception end in direct communication with the conduit 3l0 leading from the discharge opening 54 in the trough 52 in the bottom of the basin 50. The hopper is adapted to swing through an opening 312 in the front panel l6, and a handle 314 is provided to facilitate swinging the hopper. The bottom 3I6 of the hopper is hinged to the side walls thereof as indicated at 3I8, and the hinges have elongated arms 320 for wiping the sides of the hopper to prevent adhesion of the popcorn. The bottcm 3l6 is normally held closed by an arm 322 ccnnected by a link 324 to a stub shaft 326. As the hopper swings outwardly through the openmg 312, the arm 322 and the link 324 exert pull on the bottom, causing it to swing on its hinges 3l8, dumping the popped corn contained in the hopper. The stub shaft 326 has thereon an arm 328 connected as by a link or rod 330 to an actuating lever 348, Fig. 3, for a bag delivery mechanism which lever is moved in a counterclockwise rotation each time a bag is delivered as described in, the next paragraph. The rotation of the lever 348 moves the link 330 upwardly so that the hopper 308 will be automatically dumped into the waste receptacle 306 prior to each delivery of popcorn to the hopper.

Bag delivery apparatus The bag delivery apparatus, Figure 3, includes a container 332 secured to the back of the removable front panel l6 of the case and opening through the panel as by a slot 334 adjacent the bottom of the container. Mounted in the container is a plate 336 inclined from the back of the container to the slot 334. This plate provides a support for a stack of bags having imposed thereon a slotted weight 338.

The plate has an offset ortion substantially centrally of its length, and this offset portion has a slot 340 extending transversely of the plate. The plate also has a slot 342 arranged longitudinally thereof and below the slot 340. A bracket 344 secured to the bottom of the container supports a rockable shaft 346 having secured thereto an arm 348 detachably connected as at 350 to the driving rod I88 actuated by the eccentric I82 on the timing gear I10.

A yoke 352 has arms 354 extending diametrically through the shaft 348 and suitably secured against displacement, and the free ends of the arms are deformed to provide hooks 356 for attachment of retractile springs 358 connected to fixed supports 360 on the bottom of the container 332. An ejector 362 has its force-receiving end deformed to provide a transverse groove 364 for the reception of the yoke 352. The other end of the ejector normally rests on the bottom of the inclined plate adjacent the slot 340, and the ejector is guided by the perimeter defining the slot to engage the bottom bag in the stack of bags in the container. A pin 366 extending diametrically through the shaft 348 provides a stop determining the retracted position of the ejector 362, and the pin is deformed to provide a hook 368 for the attachment of a coil spring 380 connected to the force-applying end of the ejector to retain the ejector against displacement.

When pull is exerted on the arm 348 through the driving rod I88, the arm 348 is moved through an angle, and this movement of the arm transmits force through the shaft 346 and the yoke 352 carried by the shaft to the ejector 362, resulting in movement" of the ejector through the slot 340 to engage the bottom bag of the stack and to partly eject it through the slot 334 sothat it may be easily withdrawn.

A lever 392, pivotally mounted on the container 332 adjacent the bottom thereof, has one of its ends turned upwardly as at 394 to extend through the slot 342 and to engage the bottom bag of the stack of bags, and the other end of the lever is deformed to provide a crank 386, Figure 2. A coil spring 388 connects the crank to a fixed support so as to urge the lever against the bags, and the crank is connected by a rod 466 to the coin control mechanism of the apparatus. When the last bag in the stack is removed from the container, the lever 392 is released and immediately moves, under the influence of the coil spring 398, to transmit force through the rod to the coin control mechanism to the end that a coin deposited in the machine is immediately returned when the supply of bags has been exhausted.

The electrical system The electrical system for the machine, Figure 20, includes a circuit 402 adapted to be connected to a suitable source of electrical supply, and the constant heat element B and a thermostat C for adjusting the heat element are connecte'd in the circuit. -A conductor 404 leading from the first terminal of the source is connected through a make-and-break switch D to one terminal of the electric motor A. A conductor 406 contains a resistance E bridging the switch D and functioning in conjunction with a governor K, hereinafter described, to control the speed of the motor A. This governor is an important factor as will hereinafter appear.

As previously described, the circuit control drum F has three segments: a, b, and c. The segments a and b are fixedly secured to one another for rotation as a unit, and the segment c is adiustably attached to the other segments so as to break the circuit at any period in the cycle. A conductor 466 connects the second terminal of' the motor to the brush d, in wiping engagement with the segment b of the circuit control drum, and a conductor 4H1 is connected between the brush e, also in wiping engagement with the segment b of the circuit control drum, and the second terminal of the source of current.

A conductor 2, connected with the first terminal of the source, has included in it the booster heating element G and extends through the brushes 9 and j, the segments a and c and the brush e of the circuit controller to the second terminal of said source. Since the segment a and the brush f are so related that the circuit through them is interrupted in advance of the interruption of the ,circuit through brush g and that the contacts assume a vibratory condition, continually opening and closing the circuit.

Coin control mechanism The coin control mechanism indicated generally at 434, Figure 2, is conventional and, accordingly, only such parts as have a direct relation the case. The slot 436.communicates with a segment c, the duration of the flow of current through the booster heater may be regulated to continue for any part of the cycle greater than that determined by the arc of the segment a by the rotative adjustment of the segment c of the circuit controller with respect to the segment a. Thus the amount of heat delivered to the griddle from the heating elements B and G combined may be regulated to suit various voltages of the supply source and various outside temperature conditions, the booster heating element G supplying only that additional amount of heat which is taken up by the corn during the popping operation. The heating element B, which is connected continuously across the circuit, is adjusted to supply just that amount of heat'necessary for maintaining the griddle at the proper temperature for popping the corn before the cool grains of corn are deposited on the griddle.

A conductor 4 connects from conductor 406 through normally-open contacts H of magnet I to the second terminal of the source, and a conductor 4l6 connects from the brush it of the circuit controller through the winding of magnet I .and through a normally-open contact of coincontrolled switch J to the first terminal of the source.

The governor As shown in Figure 15, a housing 8 is suitably secured to one end of the motor and supports the make-and-break switch D. The governor K is interposed between the armature shaft of the mot ;r and the movable member of the make-and-break switch D. The governor includes a shell 426 sleeved on the armature shaft of the motor. The shell has a hollow conical head 422, and in the apex of the head is a recess 424 receiving ,a hard metallic ball 426 engaging the movable member of the make-and-break switch D. The head 422 also has arranged therein an inverted cone 426 providing, in conjunction with the head, a groove 430, and positioned in this groove are a plurality of balls 432 resting on the end of the shaft. As the motor A increases in speed, centrifugal force causes the balls 432 to move outwardly on the inner conical portion of the head 422, and this movement of the balls is yieldingly resisted by the wall of the conical head 422, resulting in movement of the shell against the movable member of the makeand-break switch D with the consequent openingchute 468 connected to a coin detector. and assorter 446 including a scavenger 442, a lever 444 for manually actuating the scavenger readily accessible on the front of the case, a coin return chute 446 communicating with a return receptacle or cup 446, and a coin delivery or actuating chute 460 communicating with a coin deposit and collection box 462.

A rockable shaft 454 has secured thereto a crank 456 connected to-the scavenger 442 for opening the scavenger. The shaft also has secured thereto a crank 456 connected as by a rod 466 and a slidable connection 462 to the arm 44 on the shaft 42 ca ry n the lever 40 supporting the false bottom 66, and the shaft 464 also has secured thereto a crank 464 connected by a rod 466 to the lever 242 for actuation thereby and also to the crank 366 of the bag delivery mechanism.

The coin delivery chute 456 has arranged therein a lever 466 in the path of a coin deposited in the machine. This lever functions to close the switch I so as to energize the magnet I, and this results in closing the contacts H to complete the circuit. The chute 456' also has therein a pivoted balanced stop 410 so as to insure positive actuation of the contacts H.

Operation The popcorn vending machine is placed in initial operation by plugging the terminals of the electric circuit 402 into an ordinary volt wall socket. This causes current to flow through the heating element B, bringing it up to its normal operating temperature.

When a customer deposits a coin in the coin slot 436 and presses the lever 444, the coin is either rejected because of the emptiness of the machine of bags or popcorn or, if the machine is in working order, passed through the chute 450 to start the operation of the machine as hereinafter described. If there are no bags in the machine, the end 394 01' lever 392, Figure 3, will move upwardly through the influence of spring 398, Figure 2, causing the hooked end 396 to move downwardly, pulling the rod 466 and rotating the shaft 454 with its crank 456, which operates the scavenger 442 to direct the coin into the return chute 446. Likewise, if something has happened during a previous operation to stop the bucket; 24!! in some position other than its normal position, Figure 3, then the lever 242 will be rotated, in a counterclockwise direction, out of its position shown in Figures 2 and 3, and it is free and will likewise push downwardly on the rod 466 to rotate the shaft 454 and operate the scavenger 442. Likewise, if the supply of unpopped corn has become exhausted, the weight of the corn will have been removed from the false bottom 36, Figures 2 and 3, and its supporting lever 40 will rotate about the pivot 42 under the influence of the'spring 46, causing the rod 460 to move upwardly, rotating the shaft 454 and, through its crank 456, operating the scavenger 442 to expel the coin.

If, as previously described, the scavenger per mits the coin to pass through the chute 450, the

closing of the contacts J energizes the magnet I through a circuit including the brush h, the segments at and b and the brush e of the circuit controller. The energization of the magnet I causes the stop 410 to retain the coin in the chute and, also, closes the contacts H in the circuit of the main motor A, starting the rotation of the circuit control drum F.

As soon as the circuit control drum F has started its rotation, the brush d comes into contact with the segment b, completing a circuit for the motor independent of the contacts H of the magnet I. The circuit of the magnet I may then be interrupted by the passage of the segment u out of contact with the brush h. Upon the deenergization of the magnet I, the stop 410 returns to the position shown in Figure 2 and permits the coin to drop into the collection box 452.

Simultaneously with the starting of the motor A, the rotation of the main driving shaft 04, which is now in continuous drive connection with the motor through pinion I02 and pinion wheel I04,

'drives the shaft I06 and its connected shaft 200,

causing the lug 2I0 on the coupler I92, which is now pressed to the right by the wedge I86, to engage the stop 2I2 and to cause the sprocket wheel I94 to rotate. The rotation of sprocket wheel I94 drives the various elevator chain sprockets in a counterclockwise direction, Figure 3, and carries the bucket 240, which was previously filled, upwardly with the chain until it dumps its contents of popcorn into the chute 244 through the trough 248 and the gate 250 onto the griddle I40. The elevator chain sprockets continue their counterclockwise rotation until the wedge I86 passes out from between the end of the movable shell of the coupler I92 and the collar 202, permitting the lug 2I0 of the coupler to move a revolution, that is, until the inner end of the trip lever II2 engages the fixed pin I00 to return the dog IIO to its normal position, in which it does not engage either of the dogs H8 or I20. The rotation of the disc II6 pulls downwardly on the connecting rod I20, which carries with it the bushing I20 and the shaft 10. This lowers the griddle, opening the circumferential crevice between the receptacle and the outer edge of the griddle and permitting the popped corn to be ejected therethrough into the basin 60. At the same time, the lowering of the shaft 10 causes the collar 98 to disengage the slowspeed gear 92 and to engage the high-speed gear 14, thus causing the shaft 16 to rotate at a high speed in a direction opposite to that in which it was rotating at slow speed. The heater now rotates at high speed in the opposite direction to its original rotation, thus presenting the blunt edges ofthe beater arms to the popped grains of com, wiping the corn oil the to the left to a position out of the plane of the stop 2 I 2. This disconnection of the elevator chain sprockets occurs just after the bucket 240 has completed one round trip and has become again filled with unpopped corn through its scooping action as it passes across the bottom of the popcorn hopper 26.

The circuit of the booster heating element G was closed through brush 1 by the first movement of the circuit control drum F and remains closed until the brush 9 passes off the segment c. The shaft 16 is now rotated at slow speed through the chain of gears 66, 90, and 18, causing the beater arms I48 to agitate the corn while it is popping. These beater arms preferably have their forward edges beveled toward the griddle so that they merely slide under the grains of popcorn, thus causing them to roll in constant contact with a heated surface, exposing all of the surfaces of the grains to maximum contact with the griddle or with the heated surfaces of the beater arms. This phase of the cycle of the machine continues for approximately one minute, during which time the grains of popcorn pop and fill the receptacle I56 in readiness for discharge.

At this stage, the cam I14 on the timing gear I10 has moved under the plunger I18, pushing its opposite end into the path of the trip lever II2, which is carried by the rotating pinion wheel I 04. The contact between the plunger I18 and, the trip lever II2 rotates the shaft of the trip lever and rotates the dog IIO to such a position that it engages the dog I20, causing the disc H6 to rotate with the pinion wheel I04 for one-half of griddle and into the basin 60.

The popped corn now in the bottom of the basin 50 is swept by the continuously rotating blades I64 through the conduit 3I0 into the hopper 000. Simultaneously with the high-speed operation of the shaft 16, the eccentric 218 starts the fluid seasoning pump 210 and the nozzle shaking linkages, causing the seasoning to be sprayed upon the popped corn just as it falls out of the basin 50 through the conduit IIII.

When the timing gear I10 has made substantially one-half of a revolution, that is, when the cycle of the machine is substantially one-half completed, the eccentrically-operated rod I has caused the bag ejector to move its full stroke to the left, Figure 3, pushing the lower bag of the pile outwardly through the slot 334 to a position where it can be grasped by the customer. The customer now places the bag over the mouth of the hopper 308 and pulls forward on the handle 3, allowing the popped corn within the hopper to be dumped into the bag.

During the first half of the revolution of the timing gear I10, the operation of the rod I00 through the linkages heretofore described has caused the hopper bottom 3I6 automatically to open for the purpose of dumping into the receptacle 306 to prevent the possibility of unpopped corn or of previously delivered popcorn left in the hopper from interfering with the delivery into the hopper of only that com which has been popped in the instant cycle.

When the timing gear and its associated circuit control drum F have returned to their normal positions, the circuit of the motor A is interrupted by the brush d passing 01! its segment b. When this happens, all of the operating circuits of the machine are inoperative excepting that of the constant heating element 13, which, as before described, remains energized to keep the temperature of the griddle at just the proper heat for starting the popping operation.

While my invention is herein shown and described with respect to a specific embodiment, it is to be understood that I do not desire to be unduly limited thereto, the structure being subject to modification without departing from the spirit or scope of my invention.

I claim:

1. In a popcorn popping'machine, in combination, a griddle, a beater having a radial arm lying adjacent and in contact with the surface of said griddle, said arm having one edge beveled toward the surface of the griddle and the other edge extending substantially normal to the surface of the griddle, means to rotate said heater arm slowly in one direction for rolling unpopped corn in contact with the surface of the griddle and the upper surface of said arm, and means to rotate said arm more rapidly in the opposite direction to push popped corn oil the griddle.

2. In a popcorn popping machine, in combination, a storage compartment for unpopped corn,

said receptacle and said griddle through the gap formed between them.

3. In a popcorn popping machine, in combination, a storage compartment for unpopped corn,

'an elevator bucket for lifting unpopped corn from said storage compartment, a receptacle for unpopped corn, means for conveying unpopped cornfrom said elevator bucket to said receptacle, a heated griddle forming the base of said receptacle and on which the corn becomes popped within the receptacle, means for separating the receptacle and the griddle to form a gap between them, means for ejecting popped corn from said receptacle and said griddle through the gap formed between them, a circumferential gutter beneath said griddle for receiving the popped corn from the griddle, said gutter having a delivery opening therein, a blade movable along said gutter to push the popped corn to the delivery opening in the gutter, and a hopper for receiving popped corn from said gutter.

4. In a popcorn popping machine, in combination, a storage compartment for unpopped corn, an elevator bucket for lifting unpopped corn from said storage compartment, a receptacle for unpopped corn, means for conveying unpopped corn from said elevator bucket to said receptacle, a heated griddle forming the base of said receptacle and on which the corn becomes popped within the receptacle, means for separating the receptacle and the griddle to form a gap between them, means for ejecting popped corn from said receptacle and said griddle through the gap formed between them, a circumferential gutter beneath said griddle for receiving the popped corn from the griddle, said gutter having a delivery opening therein, a blade movable along said gutter to push the popped corn to the delivery opening in the gutter, a hopper for receiving popped corn from said gutter, and means located above the opening between said gutter and said hopper for delivering seasoning onto the popped corn as it passes from said gutter into said hopper.

5. In a popcorn popping machine, in combination, a storage compartment for unpopped corn, an elevator bucket for lifting unpopped corn from said storage compartment, a receptacle for unpopped corn, means for conveying unpopped corn from said elevator bucket to said receptacle, a heated griddle forming the base of said receptacle and on which the corn becomes popped within the receptacle, means for separating the receptacle and the griddle to form a gap between them, means for ejecting popped corn from said receptacle and said griddle through the gap formed between them, a circumferential gutter beneath said griddle for receiving the popped corn from the griddle, said gutter having a delivery opening therein, a blademovable along said gutter to push the popped com to the delivery opening in the gutter, a hopper for receiving popped corn from said gutter, and means located above the opening between said gutter and said hopper for delivering seasoning onto the popped com as it passes from said gutter into said hopper, an automatic sequence mechanism for timing the delivery of seasoning only to that time required for the popped corn to pass from said gutter into said hopper.

6. In a popcorn popping machine, in combinatino, a griddle, an electrical heating element for said griddle proportioned to maintain the temperature of said griddle at constant heat neces sary for poping corn when no unpopped corn is resting upon said griddle, a second electrical heating element for said griddle, and means to connect said second heating element in circuit with a source of current only for the duration of the popping operation, said second heating element being proportioned to supply the heat absorbed by the grains of corn during the popping operation, a beater traveling in contact with the upper surface of said griddle, whereby said beater is maintained at substantially the same temperature as that of the griddle, whereby said heater receives heat from each of said heating elements and imparts heat to the grains of corn while serving to roll the grains in contact with either the griddle or the beater until the grains are popped.

7. In a popcorn popping machine, in combination, a griddle, a source of current, a first electrical heating element connected in circuit with said source of current, a second electrical heating element normally disconnected from circuit with said source of current, the first electrical heating element being in heat-conducting association with said griddle and with said second heating element and being so proportioned as to maintain said griddle and said second heating element at substantially the temperature necessary for popping corn when no corn is delivered to said griddle, said second heating element being so associated with said griddle and so proportioned as to maintain said griddle at substantially its constant temperature during the presence of corn on said griddle, and means for maintaining the connection of said second heating element with said source while the corn on said griddle is p pp n 8. In a popcorn popping machine, in combination, a corn popping receptacle, a beater in said receptacle rotatable upon a substantially vertical axis, means to rotate said heater at slow speed for rolling the grains of unpopped corn in said receptacle, and means for rotating said beater at a much higher speed for ejecting popped corn from said receptacle.

9. In a popcorn popping machine, in combination, a corn popping receptacle, a beater in' said receptacle rotatable upon a substantially vertical axis, means to rotate said beater at slow speed for rolling the grains of unpopped corn in said receptacle, and means for rotating said beater at a much higher speed and inthe opposite direction for ejecting popped corn from said receptacle.

10. In a seasoning feeder for an automatic popcorn popping machine, a reservoir, a tube extending downwardly into said reservoir and having two openings into it, one near the bottom of corn in said machine.

on the salt water, a tube extending into said reservoir and having two openings, one into the part of said reservoircontaining salt water and the other into the part of said reservoir containing oil, a pump connected with said tube adapted to draw salt water and oil from said reservoir and having a chamber in which the salt water and the oil are thoroughly mixed, and a discharge pipe from said pump Ior delivering the mixture of salt water and oil onto the freshly popped RAY W. SCOTT. 

